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Malaysian girls serve up a stunner

Malaysia’s Uber Cuppers delighted their fans in Macau when they moved closer to qualifying for the tournament proper with a stunning 3-2 victory over India on Tuesday.

A day after Goh Liu Ying-Lim Yin Loo turned in a scintillating performance to upset Japan Open champions Bao Yixin-Zhong Qianxin in Malaysia’s 4-1 loss to China, the underdogs once again showed just what they are made of.

Twice Malaysia fell behind but their never-say-die attitude, coupled with some gutsy display from their former world No. 1s Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui turned the tide their way.

India had taken the lead when world No. 4 Saina Nehwal made short work of Tee Jing Yi to win 21-17, 21-16 in 30 minutes.

Commonwealth Games champions and World Championship bronze medallists Jwala Gutta-Ashiwini Ponnappa (right), however, were turned over by Pei Tty-Eei Hui, who carved out a 21-12, 21-16 victory to level the scores.

India once again went in front when their national champion P. V. Sindhu outfought Lydia Cheah in three games to make it 2-1 to India. Sindhu won 16-21, 21-13, 21-9 in 41 minutes.

Doubles specialist Liu Ying, who is also an accomplished mixed doubles player, then partnered Vivian Hoo to a straightforward 21-17, 21-17 victory over Prajakta Sawant-Pradnya Gadre to set up a grand finale.

Two-time 100PLUS National Junior Circuit Grand Prix Under-18 champion Yang Li Lian held her nerves for Malaysia as she battled back and forth against India’s Sayali Gokhale before winning 21-11, 15-21, 20-22 in a 56-minute battle.

India will now face Chinese on Wednesday in the last Group W tie, needing a 5-0 victory to deny Malaysia a place in the quarter-finals.

The Thomas and Uber Cup Finals will be held in Wuhan, China from May 20-27.

In Group X, Taipei and Singapore meet on Wednesday to decide who top the group after they both defeated Vietnam 5-0 in their opening tie.

In Group Y, Thailand and former champions Indonesia have both qualified for the quarter-finals while in Group Z, Japan and Hong Kong are also through to the last eight.

In the Thomas Cup, all eight quarter-finalists have been decided and Wednesday’s matches will decide who will progress as the respective group champions.

From Group A, China will meet Taipei, Indonesia and India will fight it out in Group B, Japan take on Thailand in Group C while Malaysia meet South Korea in Group D.